Forgotten Origins
by Mojo1586
Summary: The Wardens came from many backgrounds to become who they were, some of these have been forgotten. Follows the story of a criminal from the depths of poverty and a fierce barbarian lamenting the loss of his people. These two are pulled violently from their lives and are forced to fight the impossible. (Human Commoner and Barbarian Origins from early days of Dragon Age Origins)


**_(This is a POV story following multiple characters over the course of Dragon age Origins, however the main focus will be on two Wardens from origins cut from the game before release. I came up with the idea for this after reading more about what they could have been and made my own version of their origins, the canon characters, story, and settings are all property of Bioware. Only the two OCs and the personality for some characters are mine. Enjoy – Mojo1586)_**

_THE COMMONER_

**_-Jean-_**

"Please, I don't have any gold on me right now, I swear!" The small man wailed as Garth checked his pockets, blade still poised at his throat. "It was a bad harvest this season and with the boys down south fighting darkspawn I...ah!" He choked back a cry as the blade pushed even closer. Maker I hate this kind of work.

"Now Petey we don't want to hear excuses." Garth interrupted calmly shaking his head, a wicked grin forming on his bearded face, I grimaced internally at his expression. "Now when we gave you the gold, you promised you'd have the money to pay back Dwyn everything you owed him plus interest weeks ago."

"But I...the harvest!"

"Now there you go again with excuses, Dwyn doesn't care about the damn harvest, you made a promise, and Dwyn doesn't care much for people who don't keep their promises."

He made to press the knife in further but I grabbed his arm and shoved him away from the tiny man who gave a short yelp falling back against the stone wall of the alley in a shivering heap. "Go home and get whatever you have and beg Dwyn off or we'll be back, now get!" I gave him a sharp kick to the backside, forcing him out into the bustling street before being slammed against the wall myself.

"What in the bloody void do you think you're doin' Jean!" Garth snarled angrily, dark eyes glaring daggers at me though oily dark hair, "Why'd you let him just run off!?"

"He had nothing on him you checked yourself..." I pushed back his arm dusting off the dark studded leather armor and trousers, "besides you were torturing the poor sod."

"How are we supposed to get results if we don't get a bit rough?" He threw his arms up in exasperation motioning for me to follow him into the torch lit street. "He might have had a hidden stash he wasn't telling us about."

"And if he's smart he'll be using that stash to appeal to one particular dwarf's sense of mercy." I shot back trying to ignore how nervous passersby seemed as we walked by, merchants going silent trying to avoid notice. "We did our job, no need to bring the guards down on us."

Garth let out a dry bark like laugh, sending one woman scrambling to pick up her children and retreat into one of the wood and stone houses lining the road. "Come on you know most of the guards are in the dwarf's pocket now, they wouldn't touch us. Redcliffe might have an Arl up there..." He pointed a thumb at the large castle pierced on the edge of a blood red cliff looming beside the large township, "But it's Dwyn who runs things down here."

"Forgive me if I don't share your confidence." This was why I hated working with this guy, the former mercenary had no sense of subtlety.

"That's your problem Jean..." The thug said matter of fact gazing back at me, "you're too skittish and too soft."

"Garth, you know why I can't get caught...!"

"Because your poor little sister will be left all alone I get it." Garth interrupted voice high and mocking, "I don't see what you're so worried about, she's a bit young but with her looks she'll have no problem finding extra work..."

"Drop it right now and keep walking." I growled dangerously, the man's eyes flashed gleefully but he did stay silent as we neared the docks, the smell of freshly caught fish and shouts of workers filling the evening air. "Maker I hate this place..." I thought wearily as we traveled along the labyrinth of planked walkways and ramshackle wooden huts and shops that stretched far out onto the lake before pausing as we came upon the last building, a large warehouse situated on the furthermost edge of the dock.

"Let's see what the boss thinks of you letting him go."

I bit back a cry as another mailed fist crashed into my sternum, sending me to my knees so I was face to face with the furious dwarf in front of me, his brown bearded face glowering as he shook out his fist. "Now boy, how long have you been working for me now?" The light of the torches casting dark flickering shadows throughout the room.

I let out a short cough, letting the pain subside before answering, "About five years now sir, give or take."

The dwarf nodded rubbing his chin as if in thought before lashing out with another punch, this one in my side, "And why, might I ask, was the reason you came to me?"

I grimaced inside but made sure to keep my face level, "My parents owed you money."

"That's right!" The dwarf gave me a pat on the back, "They asked for a lot and couldn't pay me back, even sold the farm and it wasn't enough..." He grinned moving away, taking a seat on a crate in front of me gesturing for one of his guards to drag me to my feet. "and when they bit it you and your sister assumed their debt, I own you." He leaned back on his impromptu seat, "By the way where does your sister work again?" He asked to the room at large.

"Lynnette's working at Lloyd's tavern; he's got her cleaning up the place." Garth spoke up, giving me a gap toothed smile as he stepped forward."

"Such a hard worker at what…sixteen?" The dwarf faced me again, "Same age you were when you started working for me and impressing me a lot more than you did. Do you know why I don't have her working the docks for coppers right now as we speak?"

I froze, feeling the blood drain from my face as I tried to work out a response. "Because I'm more useful to you?" I said, trying and failing to inject some confidence in the answer.

"Precisely, you are more useful, a man who can read, write, and knock a bird out of the air mid-flight with an arrow is more useful to me then some little wench. You have potential so I spent the time and energy to teach you. The knife work, the numbers, it's all an investment. But I have a problem." He crossed his fingers.

"Listen Dwyn..." I started but was stopped as the guard holding me gave me a hard smack across the face sending lights jumping across my vision.

"With your recent behavior, I'm starting to think you might be a bad investment, and I don't approve of bad investments." He waved the guard off me, leaving me standing shakily on my own in the center of the room, "One more screw up and you're out on the streets for good this time, and your sister's going to be meeting a lot of friends in her new career. Do we have an understanding?"

I clenched my teeth, cursing the dwarf to whatever hell the Maker reserved for scum, but kept silent nodding respectfully with face level.

"Good now get out of my sight." I bowed eyes firmly focused on avoiding the dwarf's gaze as I strode quickly out of the building and into the misty night air. Once outside and certain no one was following I began walking briskly away the docks through the now slumbering village, making my way towards the beaten path carved along the cliff face. It was a bit of a walk but I didn't mind, the cold felt good on my skin, numbing the harsh pain from my bruises into a dull aching throb. Soon enough I found myself outside of a brightly lit tavern located just up the hill from the chantry, probably the only place still active this late at night. I ducked around the side of the building, giving one of the window shutters a quick knock. After a few seconds the shutter flew open to reveal a disheveled farmer with a drink in his hand and an annoyed expression.

"W-whatcha want friend!?" He asked, slurring his words clumsily, obviously more than a little put under by the drink. "Can't ya see were havin fun in here?"

"Get Bella." I said leaning against the wooden wall next to the window, massaging my ribs. "Red hair, nice face, you've probably been staring at her ass all night, get her over here."

"Wha...?" The man looked back for a second before laughing out loud at something said inside. "What're you talkin bout, I'm a happily married man I'll have you know. You got legs, use the door and get'er yerself."

I gave him a sharp glare before gesturing down at my armor. The man's eyes trailed downward, widening fearfully as he noticed the familiar symbol on the leather chest piece. "Get her now." I said slowly, putting as much cold authority as I could."

It worked like a charm. "Er...ah yes right away ser, right away." The poor drunk scrambled out of sight as I leaned back again, I might not like the dwarf but his status did come in useful sometimes.

"What's all this now...Jean?" I looked up to see Bella leaning out the window, a surprised look crossing her face replaced immediately by concern. "Are you alright, you look like shit?"

"Thanks." I flashed her a toothy grin which shifted into a grimace as a fresh jolt of pain shot up my side. "I'm alright Bella, just got finished "talking" with the dwarf."

"That sounds like some talk. Why aren't you coming in?" The barmaid inquired gesturing towards the door. "It's freezing out here."

"I don't want Lynne seeing me like this, you mind opening up the back room, let me clean up a bit?"

She nodded looking over her shoulder, "Get around back, I'll get the door but be quiet, Lloyd's being a pain tonight." She vanished, shutting the window behind her with a loud clack. A few uncomfortable minutes later I found myself in the storage room of the tavern, pouring over a hand mirror and a water basin trying to wonder how he'd explain the mottling bruise on his cheek. It stood out clearly on his pale skin, "Maybe I could grow a beard in a few minutes." I thought smiling. It had been awhile since I'd actually looked in a decent mirror, Bella usually kept this one under lock and key and Anna didn't own one. I ran a hand through my short brown curls, green eyes staring back at me. Suddenly a pair of hands came out of nowhere splashing the basin's contents across my face. "Maker wh...!" I spluttered turning to see my little sister's face beaming back at me. "Damn it Lynnette!"

"Sorry, you were just looking so full of yourself; I thought you might need to cool down." She grinned slyly, eyes widening as she caught sight of my bruise. "Brother..."

"Hey how was work?" I jumped up, putting all my will into not crying out as my ribs flared up again. "Anyone give you trouble?"

"What happened?" She said, face twisting into a scowl.

"Garth was being an ass and things got heated." I hated lying but the girl already felt guilty enough about my "job". "I'm fine."

"They're going to end up killing you one of these days." She muttered worrying at the long braid she tied her hair into. "I'm serious!"

I put an arm around her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze, "I'm okay, nothing can keep your big brother down. You know that right?" She hesitated before nodding, a small smile forming on her lips.

"I know...and get off you're all wet!"

"And whose fault is that? Come on let's head home, it's late." I laughed leading her out through the tavern's front, Lloyd gazing nervously at me from behind the counter. Thankfully he was the only one, the rest of the revelers to drunk or too absorbed in talk to care as Bella let us out into the cool night air.

"Stay safe, BOTH of you." She raised an eyebrow at me as I waved back.

"You too, just let me know if Lloyd starts getting too handsy again!" Good woman Bella, smart, kind, it was just another one of the world's cruel japes that she had to work for a pig like Lloyd. The two of us made our way along the path out of town talking about our day, well...she was talking I was lying until we reached the ramshackle shack that had served as our home for the past few years.

"So the darkspawn really are down south?" I asked surprised as I opened the door into the building's one room, a beaten closet, bed, and dug out fire pit the only furnishing aside from the pile of firewood shoved in the corner along with a tarp covered chest. "I've been hoping that was just some dark rumor."

"Nope it's all true!" Lynne said plopping down on the bed trying to undo her braid. She glanced down at the bedroll by my feet, she was always saying we should switch off who slept on the bed, I adamantly refused "The guards were shouting about it all night. Apparently there's a Grey Warden staying up at the castle right now." I chuckled unrolling the mat. Anna had always been a sucker for stories growing up, Knights, princesses, Grey Wardens, she used to sit on mother's lap begging for another tale.

"Why is a Grey Warden here in Redcliffe if there's darkspawn down south?" I asked wonderingly stretching out my limbs with a loud pop. "Isn't that sort of against their whole slay all darkspawn thing they have going."

"He wants the Arl to hurry up with sending his army to the camp at Ostagar. That and recruiting...!" Her eyes lit up as she gazed over at me. "You know, maybe you could get recruited, be a Warden like in the stories."

I couldn't help bursting out into laughter at that one. I stopped after I noticed the hurt in her eyes, breathing in deep, "Sorry sister, the image of me riding a griffon killing archdemons is just too much."

"But you would make a great warden!" I shrugged, struggling to undo the straps on my armor. "You're brave, kind, and father said you were the best archer he'd ever..." She gasped covering her mouth as I spun around glaring at her.

"Please don't mention that bastard," I threw down the leathers angrily, good mood dissipating instantaneously.

"He's our father." I could hear the plea in her voice but ignored it, too angry to care.

"WAS our father, before he took money from a sadistic dwarf, lost it, and then left us with the damn debt!" I shouted back. "Look at where we are! We should just sell that damn chest of his and everything in it, find a good buyer and we could eat well for weeks, longer even!" She shook her head moving quickly to sit on the chest.

"No Jean, it's all we have left of them, I'm not letting you get rid of it." I wanted to argue, to make her see reason; instead I just grabbed a threadbare woolen coat from the wall, slipping it on.

"I'm going for a walk; I don't know when I'll be back." I slammed the door behind me, muffling her pleas for me to stop. I settled into a long loping gait that had me back down the hill in minutes, "Maybe Bella is still at the tavern?" I thought wryly as I made my way down a dark, deserted street until the sound of shouting carried over from the adjacent side street. Probably some poor soul in the wrong part of town caught in a spot of trouble "Ignore it, ignore it, ignore...ah sod it." I ducked into an alleyway, moving along silently trying to get a read on the situation.

"All right old man..." A raspy voice called out, voice oozing with confidence, whoever it is outnumbered, "Hand over all your valuables, gold, weapons, in the name of the Redcliffe Hangers!" I sighed in relief; this wasn't Dwyn's handiwork, just some upstarts crawling around stirring up trouble.

There was five of them, standard goons in mismatched armor running a standard setup, the leader in front with two on the sides and two in back to cut off escape. The strangest part was the man they had surrounded, definitely on the older side with dark Rivaini skin and jet black hair streaked with gray. He also wasn't giving off the normal fear response associated with a mugging, if anything he seemed annoyed at the interruption. I could tell right off this man was dangerous and I didn't need the fancy armor or the weapons strapped to his back to know it.

"Step aside; I have no wish for this to turn violent." The man said in a deep, calm voice. Maker it's like he's talking about the weather!

"Ha! There are six of us, one of you!" I shook my head feeling sorry for the thugs. Amateurs, anyone with a brain would let someone like this pass. "Take his gold off his corpse boys!" The man cried pulling a club off is belt as one of the other thugs ran from at the man with a knife from behind.

Before I knew it I was out of the alley and sprinting towards the leader "Behind you!" I shouted lashing out with an elbow catching the man square in the face as he turned in surprise, smashing the fragile cartilage and sending him to the ground. The armored man didn't even hesitate, turning and catching the hand holding the knife, twisting the appendage with a loud crack like a nutshell. The thug lurched back screaming as his fellows ran at me, ignoring the other opponent, not so dumb after all.

I ducked under the first one's swing, feeling the wooden club sail over me only a few inches away leaving the thug unbalanced. A quick sweep with my leg took him off his feet while another kick to the face kept him down. The second lunged at me with a knife but I sidestepped, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a vicious knee to the ribs. The last raised his club but paused as a knife appeared at his throat. "Don't try me." I grinned wickedly.

"Who by Andraste's great flaming arse are you?!" The man growled as he dropped the club at my feet. "You're no common blighter?!"

"Just a concerned citizen." I grinned broadly, "Take whoever's still conscious and run back to whatever hole you came out of and don't cause trouble again."

"Right, right whatever you say." He nodded quickly moving over to the groaning man next to him, supporting him as they hobbled off. I smiled as I watched them go, turns out the dwarf's lessons had at least been worth something. Look at the positives Kaidan.

"Impressive, very impressive." The deep voice said again from behind as the armored man stepped beside me. "Five men incapacitated and all of the alive."

"It was nothing." I replied shaking out my leg, "From what I could see you had the matter well in hand, if anything I should be apologizing for running in like I did."

"You saved me from a lopsided fight best avoided and for that I thank you." He gave me a warm smile, "When you get to be my age you'll understand what I'm talking about."

I glanced back at where the man whose harm he had broken was trying to crawl away. "Still, old or not, I don't think you needed help. What's someone like you doing walking around in the middle of the night?"

"Looking for the local smith Owen, his daughter mentioned him and the castle forges praised his work highly."

"Well you missed it..." I pointed back down the road; it's near the chantry, blockier house than normal. You were heading for the docks, bad move in gear that fine."

His eyebrows rose slightly, "I suppose the guards I talked to made a mistake, thank you for your assistance...?" He held out his hand. So the guards thought they'd pull a fast one.

"Jean" I replied clasping his hand, "Jean of Redcliffe."

"Foreign? And no family name?" He noted with confusion giving my hand a firm shake before stepping back.

"Fereldan by birth though my family was originally from Orlais, less of an issue here with the Arlessa but I usually don't spread it around. As for the last name…have none I'll bother repeating" He must've picked up on the bitterness in my voice because he simply nodded in understanding. "Like I said, I'm just a concerned citizen, no one worth note.

He smiled again, "Well then, I won't pry but I will tell you this Jean of Redcliffe, any man willing to risk harm to help another is a man IS worth noting. I actually have a proposition for y...!"

I cringed as shouting rose up from a street away, guards coming to check on the noise. "Sorry." I said quickly, clapping the man on the shoulder as I started running, "It's been an interesting night but I need to get out of here." I ducked away quickly before the man could say another word.

"Shit!" I muttered under my breath, crouching further into the alcove outside the chantry clutching at my hair. "Shit shit shit SHIT!" It had been easy, a runner in the morning letting me know we were to go to Pete's farm outside of the village to get his payment. When I entered however I found Garth sitting on a wooden rocking chair with the older man on his knees bound and gagged, knife at Petyr's throat grinning like a kid in a sweets shop telling me I had to kill the man.

"No way, not going to happen!" I shouted backing away as Garth glared back at me.

"Dwyn is having serious doubts about your commitment to our work here in Redcliffe." The man said shrugging his shoulders casually, "He needs a show of resolve." I'd done some bad things for Dwyn over the years from common thievery to smuggling, but murder...

"Fuck you and fuck Dwyn to the void, I didn't sign on for this."

"Ah...now that's a damn shame." The street tough sighed, seeming genuinely disappointed by my response as he gave the knife a quick jerk, opening the poor man's throat. "Dwyn was right, so much potential wasted. He noted as a pair of guardsmen entered the room smiling. "Guardsmen, this man has just murdered poor old Petey in his own home."

"Thank you citizen, we'll take it from here." The lead guard said nodding appreciatively, drawing his sword and moving to block the door. "Now no sudden moves, no need to make this more difficult than it has to be, right?"

"Or resist, Dwyn doesn't seem to mind either way." His partner said from behind me, I could almost hear his damn grin.

I was running for the window before they'd even finished talking, leaping through it in a crash of falling glass. Rolling awkwardly to my feet I kept running, ignoring the shouts. "You can run Jean, run as fast as you can!" the warrior shouted after me, laughing madly, "You're only making it worse for yourself!"

I'd kept running, all the way to town, dodging every guard, Dwyn's man or not, as well as anyone with even a hint of contact with the dwarf. Now hours later I found myself tucked under a banister in the chantry trying to make sense of the situation. Petyr's dead and people knew who I was; no way people wouldn't believe it was me holding the knife. "Shit!" I cut my arm on the glass.

Hello"?" I leapt up out of my hiding place knife in hand and swinging it, stopping as I heard a high squeak of fear.

"Bevin?" I dropped my arm back in surprise, breathing a sigh of relief as the youth backed away nervously. The boy often came around Lloyd's looking for whatever work he could find, running messages, cleaning floors, anything to help out his mother and sister. "Maker, don't sneak up on someone like that."

"Bella sent me to find you…" The boy said, eyes still darting to the knife in my hand, I quickly hid it again, "You have to come quick, some guards came to the tavern asking about you, saying you killed someone and…"

"Wait, they came to the tavern!" I grabbed the boy's shoulders. "What are they doing?"

"I don't know, they were shouting about arresting you. Bella wanted me to find out where you were, she doesn't know what's happening." Lynne...what if they're not guards, worse, what if they're Dwyn's guards! I pushed the boy aside sprinting as fast as I could towards the cliffs.

"Please be alright, please be alright!" the mantra pounded in my brain with each step. I'd tried so hard to keep her out of all this. Bella was standing outside the wooden building, eyes widening as I approached, I froze as I noticed the darkening bruise adorning her cheek. "Bella what happened!"

"Jean!" the barmaid ran over to me, "Lynne, they took her in back...I didn't know what else to do, they beat Lloyd when he tried to stop them." She glanced to where the pudgy man lay groaning.

"Did they do this?" I asked, placing a hand tenderly tracing the outline of the bruised flesh, but the she just shook her head tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry…" I shook my head before running into the building, taking in the overturned tables and benches, laughter emanated from behind the door leading to the cellar.

I burst into the inn's storeroom down to find three men in guardsmen armor standing in a loose circle around a small whimpering figure, sitting in the tattered remains of her dress shaking visibly, face bruised and bloody.

"Lynne…" I took a step forward as one of the men, a skinny blonde fellow, turned to face me. I noted that he was still casually worrying at the buckles on his chest plate. I should be angry, furious, but I just felt so cold…

"Ahh…here he is, finally." The man said looking over his shoulder towards his companions grinning smugly, "Told you we'd have more luck if we had the bitch with us." He looked me up and down pulling a studded club from his waist, "Sorry mate, we had to play a little rough with your little sister here, bit of a screamer this one…kek!?" The man's next words came out as a cough as he gazed down, shocked at the knife hilt protruding from his throat. I was surprised too as I just noticed my outstretched arm, I didn't even notice.

"Brent!" The other two charged at me pulling their weapons, I was nothing, just cold as a pair of knives entered my grip from hiding. I'd never killed before, trained to do it yes, but I had always tried to avoid that part of the job, not anymore. I ducked under the first's sweeping blade, a heavy hunk of metal swung like a club, all force no grace, I almost laughed as I hamstrung the poor fellow with one of the thin blades, sending him to his knees before finishing him off with the other with another quick slice. His partner cried out thrusting wildly with his sword, I side stepped grabbing the man's arm at the wrist and twisting, exposing bone with a crack. The guard staggered back screaming, clutching at the now worthless appendage.

"Why?" I asked, voice sounding eerily calm in the small room, "Why did you involve her?"

The goon's eyes darted wildly, looking for anyway to escape, "Please Jean it wasn't our idea, Dwyn set us up with it, said you'd come out of hiding if we threatened her I…Brent!" He pointed at the rapidly cooling corpse by the doorway, "It was all Brent, his idea! I didn't touch her, please you gotta believe me, I'm sorr…ah!" I cut him off, shoving the blade of my knife into his mouth between his teeth.

"Shut up." I said, voice still cold as ice, "You don't get to say you're sorry." The man's frenzied screams rang through the room as I went to work letting him know just how sorry he really was.

"Jean, think about this!" Bella said firmly, trying to step in front of me only to be pushed aside as I entered our hovel. "Jean!"

"There's nothing to think about, that dwarf is dead, and I'm going to be the one holding the knife, or the bow or whatever the hell I use to put that scum sucking shit of a dwarf in the ground!" I growled angrily, moving aside the blanket covering the chest and fiddling with the lock, cursing as I broke a pair of picks. "She hid the key so I couldn't sell this junk, now for once I'm glad she did."

"Dwyn has almost every thug in the city." The barmaid pointed out over my shoulder, "I'm sorry about what happened Lynnette but she's still alive, you can just run, or better yet go to her, she needs her brother right now."

I shot her a cold glare, "I can't see her right now…and anyway would you back down? So they could try and get at her again, I'm ending this today!" I shook my head, it wasn't Bella I should be focused on, she wasn't the reason Lynette was a wreck sitting in the chantry right now. "I just can't Bella, just understand that…It's all my fault." I felt the tumblers click as the chest popped open to reveal a set of well-crafted black and brown leather jerking with a hint of what looked like gold trim, a shimmery black colored cloak, and an intricately carved wooden short bow with a set of shining curved silverite daggers. I noticed Bella's eyes widened in stunned amazement as she stared down at the pile.

"Jean what…why did your father have things like these?" I could understand her incredulity; selling the armor alone would have brought in enough gold to keep us fed for years with little work.

"The man wasn't always a farmer; he just tried to settle when he met my mother." I told her replacing my armor with the ones in the trunk, it felt lighter, yet somehow stronger. Honestly it made the attire I'd worn working for the dwarf seem clunky in comparison. "Never did say why he kept these, I'd always assumed they were just mementos from his younger days." I grit my teeth, anger seething once again, "Didn't even think to sell them, even to save his farm and his family, bastard." I wrapped the cloak around myself, noting how it seemed to flow as it moved, like liquid.

"Jean…please." Bella said weakly, tears forming, "Just leave…I'll watch Lynne, keep her safe, don't kill yourself for this."

""It's my fault this happened, if I'd had the stones to kill Petyr…nah who am I kidding, If I'd just been strong enough to avoid going to Dwyn in the first place, she never would have been hurt." I strapped a full quiver of arrows to my back, shouldering the bow and placing a small letter on the bed before moving to leave. Bella moved to stop me, grabbing my arm in a vice grip.

"Jean…" I put a comforting arm on her shoulder, flashing a reassuring smile I didn't truly feel.

"It's too late Bella, I killed someone, the guard'll be after me for what I've done, despite the circumstances. Plus there's still Pete's death which people will still think I've done." She looked down tears falling steadily. "I've done a lot of bad over the past few years; I might as well go out doing something good." Bella let go, arm falling back to her side.

"You're a decent man Jean, you've treated me better than any man I've ever met and the best friend I could have hoped for, I'm glad we met."

"One of the few decent things the old bastard ever did was take me along when he went drinking." I said smiling, pulling up my hood before shutting the door behind me.

"I don't see why we're making such a big deal about this." One of the thugs watching the door said, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed behind his head as he took in the setting sun. "Jean's tough, I give him that, but if he was smart he'll have stolen a horse and be long gone by now."

"You heard what he did to Brent and his boys' right?" His buddy said nervously, glancing around at the deserted dock. "What he did to Selmy…he's always been good but now…"

"And I'm telling you to drop it, Maker what are you…" he was stopped as an arrow thudded into his chest, straight in the heart, drawing a stunned look from both as he slumped to the side and off the dock into the water below.

"Shit!" His partner leapt up, reaching for the door before another arrow took him in the small of the back. I slipped from the shadows directly across from them, cloak shifting as I moved towards the warehouse door. It should feel wrong, that it was getting easier and easier to kill, then I remembered the kind of people these were and all my doubts flew out the window, "Like hunting deer in the woods." I took a deep breath, centering myself before kicking down the door with a loud crash. Those inside turned towards the commotion as knives flew through the air taking the first few before they could grab their weapons and by then it was far too late. One of the braver bastards ran at me as I leapt into the room with a woodcutter's axe, swinging it in a sidelong arc aimed at my head.

"Aim for the center of mass." I muttered ducking the swing, slashing across his midsection with one of the curved daggers, slicing through his leather armor like a hot knife through butter. "More target to hit." I'd always preferred the bow, less personal, but the old bastard had wanted me trained just in case, hours and hours spent spinning and cutting at a tree just off the farm as he watched shouting his criticism. I saw the object of my vengeance crouching behind an overturned table to stop my knives, battle axe in hand.

"DWYN!" I shouted madly as I charged across the room, dodging past every attempted swing thrown at me while dealing death in return, leaving thugs clutching slit throats or arteries from quick retaliatory slashes.

"Someone kill that fucking duster!" The dwarf shouted, gesturing towards me.

I primed another knife to throw before a heavy body crashed into me from the side sending me rolling to the side, coming to rest on one knee. "Hey Jean, nice gear you have there" the dark haired thug said snidely, shrugging with a heavy sword in both hands, "I knew you'd come around at some point. I know you, just a matter of time."

"Garth!" I growled, lifting myself up to my feet. "Move aside!"

The man shrugged, flashing me another wolfish smile. "Can't do that friend, you kill the dwarf, I don't get paid though…" he gestured to the bodies on the floor, "You seem to have had a change of heart on the whole no killing thing."

"Your influence surely." I shot back angrily, bringing my daggers to bear, "You guys went after Lynne."

"I knew that would be the best way to draw you out, and it preps her for what Dwyn had planned next considering you would be well…" he gestured towards me, that damn smirk still glowing on his face, "dead. Two birds with one stone."

I shook my head before assuming a low stance, "I was thinking I'd let you go, despite all this. I mean…we've worked together a long time." He shrugged again raising his own swords, two heavy double edged blades. "Now I'm going to just kill you, I will try to make it relatively quick." I finished before rushing forward, trying to catch him off guard, it didn't work. My swipe was knocked away by one of his own while another forced me to move to the side to avoid getting a sword through my face, I grimaced as the edge grazed my cheek just beneath my eye. I leapt back quickly while Garth pressed forward, keeping the pressure on me with each step, unlike most of the bastards working for the dwarf he knew what he was trained, using his longer swords to keep me at range.

"Where did you learn how to fight like this Kaid?" The man called over the clangs of metal on metal filling the room, "Dwyn never taught you this!"

"Fuck you!" I cried out just before a hard kick caught me in the chest, sending me toppling to the ground along with a few chests of gold and silver, coins spilling across the floor.

"Sorry friend…" Garth said stepping towards me, spinning his blades in his hands, "time to end this, I'll make sure to bring something to burn when I'm done." Lynne's face flashed before my eyes as he brought his swords downward with a cry, her laugh as I fell in the pigpen when we were young, her small hand as she cried over mother's grave, her grin when I told her I was seeing Bella, her bruised, bloody face in that room. I roared, dropping my offhand knife and grabbing up a fistful of heavy coins, throwing them in the thug's face. Garth cried out as a diamond shaped dwarven coin lodged itself in his eye, staggering back before bringing his swords down in frenzied arc as I rolled to the side lashing out with my remaining knife, carving a deep furrow in his arm. I caught the remaining arm as he tried to bring a sword up to defend himself, bringing my forehead crashing into the man's face, feeling rather than hearing the crunch of cartilage as his nose caved in.

"Sorry "friend"…" I snarled, lodging the curved blade in his stomach, pushing him to the ground, "that was for Lynne you son of a bitch." Garth groaned clutching at the wound, chuckling to himself.

"Good job Jean…" He said grinning before falling back, smile still on his face, "Shit…" I gazed down at the body, feeling a strange mixture of elation and regret. A loose circle of those who weren't dead or on the ground stood gaping in amazement and horror as I looked up finally. Dwyn ran for the open door screaming for the sodding dusters to kill me, no one tried. I began to pace towards the dwarf, men moving quickly out of my way as I passed, scooping up my fallen knife and walked out into the fading sunlight to find a small contingent of armed guards leveling crossbows waiting for me, Maker there was even a knight in shining red steel armor.

"Jean Vascal, son of Gerard and Elayne Vascal, In the name of Arl Eamon Guirren, ruling lord of the Arling of Redcliffe, I Ser Perth, place you under arrest for the murder of Petyr Marx, along with Guardsmen Everlies, Mervis, and Yalt." The knight announced loudly, drawing a long enameled sword from his back, stepping forward confidently. "Come quietly and this will not turn to violence." Fanfare, the knights always loved fanfare.

"Are you daft human!? This man has killed my employees and is trying to kill me as we speak, execute him!" Dwyn cried out pointing at me with his axe, I could take him with a knife to the throat; problem was I wasn't sure the knight wouldn't push him out of the way or worse take the knife instead, damn chivalry and honor. Could rush them and try and take him before they got a shot off…no that was dumb, the dock leading to them didn't have much space to move, not enough to dodge flying bolts anyway.

"Hold ser!" a voice called out from behind the knight as the old man in the fancy armor strode quickly past to stand in front of me.

"What the…" I gaped before he held up a hand to silence me.

"Silence boy if you hope to live." The man said sharply, turning back to face the assembled knights. "I will be taking this man with me."

"Grey Warden I must protest…" the knight spat out, sword dropping to his side, a look of shock on his face. Hell it was probably the same look on my face right now, a warden? "this man is a criminal, a murderer."

"Regardless Ser Perth, I, Duncan, hereby invoke the Rite of Conscription on this man." He gestured towards me with his offhand, voice solemn and ceremonial, "He is under the protection of the Grey Wardens from this day forth, his past cleared in the eyes of every nation on Thedas. I'm afraid this is out of your hands now."

"If you wish it…" The knight replied looking at me with a disdainful look on his face. "Take him from the city as soon as possible."

"Wait excuse me!" I stepped forward, "Ser this is none of your concern I…!"

"I'm making this my concern." The old man, no…the Grey Warden said firmly gesturing for me to follow him. I was…surprised wasn't even on the spectrum, was I just recruited. You hear stories about how Wardens can take whoever they desired into their ranks without cause, without reason or thought of circumstance, and the world would stand by and let them, but to see one of them actually do it. "I see much in you, I will not have it die here."

"You sodding fools, kill him!" Dwyn shouted again though the guards ignored him, instead moving to clear a path as we moved along the dock, I shot the dwarf a withering look, pausing to crouch down at eye level with him.

"This isn't over Dwyn…" I said coldly, eyes narrowing, "I'm not sure what this is, but just know I won't be gone forever, my debt is cleared for letting you live, Garth cleared the tables for you on Lynne. But…" the knife in my hand flicked upwards, barely a centimeter from the crime lord's nose, drawing a few nervous looks from the guards, "if anyone touches my sister again, if I do come back and hear you've hurt her in any way, I will find you and no Warden, knight, or even the Maker himself will be able to stop me." I stood back up letting the dwarf fall on his backside, axe clattering to the wooden planks.

"Who…when did you?" the dwarf spluttered weakly, as I turned to leave grimacing as we moved through the village, drawing stares from passerby.

"So you're a Grey Warden, Duncan was it?" I asked the warden, rubbing the back of my head awkwardly, "Like the whole, kill all darkspawn, slayer of archdemons sort of wardens."

"I am…" He said turning, a sympathetic crossing his aged dark features, "and for better or worse so are you now Jean Vascal."

"It's just Jean, like I said last night." I shot back quickly, glancing around nervously, honestly expecting more guards to take a shot at me or…something, Maker I'd need a drink, my stomach felt sick.

"With a last name like that I can only imagine." He said concerned. "Are you alright!"

"I-I…!" I started before running into a side alley, loosing what meager amount had been in my stomach, it went on for a time before I fell to my knees retching as tears rode down my face. I saw everything that had happened today, the empty look in Lynne's eyes, the fear in men's faces as my knives took them, the cold…I felt a firm hand grasp my shoulder and looked back to see Duncan standing over me. "S-sorry…" I spluttered getting to my feet shakily, wiping my mouth and the cut under my eye clean."

"It isn't easy to take a life Jean, though I can only tell you to steel yourself…" He offered me a rag from a pocket on his armor which I took gratefully, "if you are the kind of person I think you are then it will never get any easier."

"Somehow though I don't see me having this problem with the darkspawn." I said weakly, tossing the rag to the side.

"See that you don't, every dedicated recruit is precious. Now we must be going, there is a blight to contend with." He smiled, nodding sagely.

"South right?" I remembered the descriptions and rumors Lynne had told me last night, blighted lands, a horde as far as the eye could see. "I've heard rumors but where are we going exactly.

"We make for Ostagar, at the edge of the Kocari wilds and east of the Hinterlands, I'd hoped the Arl would be accompanying us but it seems he needs more time to prepare his armies. We must leave as soon as we are able."

"Then let's go now." I said quickly. Duncan looked at surprised before answering back, "We have time yet Jean, I need to prepare another horse for you, you may not be back for some time or perhaps at all, if you have any family…"

"I can't face her, not now." I found myself looking towards the chantry, "I've left what needs to be said and I'm sure someone will fill her in on the rest."

"As you wish." Duncan stated, gesturing for me to follow. I gave the chantry one last pained look before steeling myself, ready to leave for my new life.

**_-End_**

**_A/N: All right first chapter is done! Thanks a tone for reading everyone. Also feel free to leave any comments, positive or negative. This is a learning experience as much as an enjoyment of mine and I love hearing what you guys think. Next up, the Barbarian._**

**_P.S-For those wondering I will be including characters from other origins in the story but they may not necessarily be Grey Wardens, doesn't mean they won't be playing a big role in the story later on. And if you're big into the game's culture, you might get why Jean's family name might raise issues and what his father's life might have entailed. I found it in the Arl's vault and couldn't help adding it in. _**


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